Propeller.



J. L. STRIBLING.

PROPELLER. 5

APPLICATION FILED JULY 18, 1913.

Patented May 26, 191% EFF a W J /6 INVENTORY.

WITNESSES.-

w BY WV ATTORNEY.

JOHN L. STRIBLING, OF WESTBROOK, TEXAS.

PROPELLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 18, 1913.

Patented May 26, 1914.

Serial No. 779,747.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN L. STRIBLING, a citizen of the United States, residing at VVestbrook, in the county of Mitchell and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Propellers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in propellers, and more particularly to a propeller of the oscillating type for use in either marine or aerial propulsion.

It is the object of this invention to so construct and so mount a propeller upon a vessel that its operation will follow as closely as possible the motion of the dorsal fin of a fish. To carry out this idea a plurality of propellers are arranged in pairs, preferably two, upon each side of the vessel and are so mounted that each pair may be oscillated to alternatively give a propelling stroke. Each propeller is so constructed that it may be oscillated from a position at right angles to the center line of the vessel until it lies close to the side of the vessel, in its propelling stroke, thereby forcing the fluid not only backward but also against the vessels side, thereby greatly adding to the forward movement. Each propeller is mounted to reverse its propelling stroke and in either position to feather during. its forward stroke.

While the preferred form of this'invention is illustrated upon the accompanying sheet of drawing, yet it is to be understood that minor detail changes may be made without departing from the scope thereof.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a vessel to which this propeller has been applied. Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the housing and bracket for securing the inner end of the propeller to the side of the vessel. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in transverse section through Fig. 2 illustrating one position of the feathering control. Fig. i is a similar view illustrating the reverse position of the feathering control.

In accordance with this invention each propeller comprises a rib 1 to which is rigidly secured a depending blade 2. The inner end of the rib 1 is mounted in a housing 3 which is pivoted in a bracket 4 secured to the side of the vessel.

Any means may be employed for oscillating the propeller. The means illustrated comprises a swinging semi-clrcular arm 5 having at one end a bracket 6 of segmental form pivoted at its apex to a bracket 7 secured to the inner side of the vessel opposite the corresponding propeller bracket. The free end of the semicircular arm extends through a bearing or stuiiing box 8 in the side of the vessel and is provided with a sleeve 9 loosely engaging the propeller rib 1. The periphery 10 of the segmental bracket is toothed to engage the rack 11 upon a sliding bar 12. In the form shown the sliding bar 12 has a rack on each side for operating one pair of propellers. It is prefer-able to cause one pair to be advancing through the forward stroke while the other pair are moving through the propelling stroke. by connecting the adjacent ends of thesliding bars 12 by connecting rods 13 to the diametrically opposed cranks 1a of a double crank shaft 15 which may be operated by a hand crank 16 or engine.

The end of the propeller rib 1 within the housing 3 is provided with a right angle ex tension 17 on the side opposite the depending lade 2. The housing 3 is provided with a horizontal sleeve 18 looselyengaging the rod 1 and a transverse recess 19 within the body through which the rib extension :17 may be rotated. The bottom 20 of this recess slopes upward on each side thereby preventing a full o'uarter rotation of the rib extension on either side of the vertical. On each side of the vertical position of the rib extension are mounted feathering control blocks 21 mounted to travel in vertical recesses 22 extending upward from the transverse recess 19. The feather control blocks are each pivoted to a lever 23 centrally pivoted in the transverse passage 24. One of the blocks 21 is provided with a screw threaded pin 25 extending upwardly through the top plate 26 of the housing 3 and through a semicircular slot 27 in the top ear of the propeller bracket 4:. A butterfly nut 28 is mounted upon the upper end of the pin 25, whereby the block attached thereto may be secured in raised or lowered position.

It is readily seen that by this construction with the left featheringblock 21 in'the lowered position, as shown on Fig. 3, the forward stroke of the rib 1 to the right will allow of the turning of said rib to the right andthereby feather the blade 2. As the rib 1 can not make a complete quarter revolution, the face upon the initial movement of This may be readily accomplished the propelling stroke to the left will rotate the rib 1 until the extension 17 engages the block 21 and thereby retain the blade 2 in a vertical position. Upon reversing the position of the feathering blocks, as shown in Fig. l, the blade 2 will be held vertical as it moves to the right and feather as it moves to the left, thereby reversing the propeller action.

The means of operating the feathering control blocks, as illustrated, applies only to small vessels where the nut would be readily accessible.

hat I claim is:

1. A propeller comprising a horizontal rib corresponding in shape to the horizontal contour of the vessel, means for pivotally connecting the rib at one end to the vessel, adepending blade secured to the rib, and means for oscillating the rib from a position at right angles to the center line of the vessel to the side of the vessel.

2. A propeller comprising a horizontal rib corresponding in shape to the horizontal contour of the vessel, means for pivotally connecting the rib at one end to the vessel, a depending blade secured to the rib, means for oscillating the rib from a position at right angles to the center line of the vessel to the side of the vessel, and a feathering control at the pivoted connection whereby the blade may feather on its forward stroke.

3. A propeller comprising a. horizontal rib, corresponding in shape to the horizontal contour of the vessel, means for pivotally connecting the rib at one end to the vessel, a depending blade secured to the rib, means for oscillating the rib from a position at right angles to the center line of the vessel to the side of the vessel, and a reversible feathering control at the pivotal connection whereby the propelling stroke may be reversed and the blade feathered upon the other stroke.

LA means of propulsion comprising a pair of horizontal propellers pivotally con neeted at one end to the opposite side of the vessel, each propeller comprising a rib following the horizontal contour of the side of the vessel and a blade depending from said rib, and means for oscillating the pro pellers in unison from a position at right angles to the center line of the vessel to the side of the vessel.

5. A means of propulsion comprising a plurality of horizontal propellers arranged in pairs in corresponding positions on opposite sides of a. vessel, each propeller comprising a rib and a depending blade, means pivotally connecting one end of the rib to the vessel, and means oscillating the propellers of each pair in unison and each pair of propellers alternatively from a position at right angles to the center line of the vessel to the side of the vessel.

6. A propeller comprising a horizontal rib following the horizontal contour of the vessel, a rigid depending blade thereon, means for pivotally connecting one end of the ml) to the vessel, means for oscillating the rib comprising a semicircular arm passing through an aperture provided therefor in the side of the vessel, a sleeve on the exterior end loosely engaging the propeller rib, and means for oscillating said arm about its center whereby the propeller is oscillated from a position at right angles to the center line of the vessel to the side of the vessel.

7. A propeller comprising a horizontal rib following the horizontal contour of the vessel, a rigid depending blade thereon, means for pivotally connecting one end of the rib to the vessel, means for oscillating the rib comprising a semicircular arm passing through an aperture provided therefor in the side of the vessel, a sleeve on the exterior end loosely engaging the propeller rib, and means for oscillating said arm about its center whereby the propeller is oscillated from a position at right angles to the center line of the vessel to the side of the vessel, a bracket on the inner wall of the vessel, a quadrant-shaped bracket upon the inner end of the arm pivoted at its apex to the wall bracket.

8. A propeller comprising a horizontal rib following the horizontal contour of the vessel, a rigid depending blade thereon, means for pivotally connecting one end of the rib to the body, means for oscillating the rib comprising a semi-circular arm pass.- ing through an aperture provided therefor in the side of the vessel body, a sleeve on the exterior end loosely engaging the propeller rib, and means for oscillating said arm about its center whereby the propeller is oscillated from a position at right angles to the center line of the vessel to the side of the vessel, a bracket on the inner wall of the body, a quadrant-shaped bracket upon the inner end of the arm pivoted at its apex to the wall bracket, teeth upon the periphery of the quadrant bracket, a sliding bar, a rack on said bar engaging the toothed quadrant, and means for sliding the bar to oscillate the quadrant.

9. In an oscillating propeller, a rib, a rigid blade depending therefrom, a housing pivotally mounted upon the side of the vessel engaging one end of the rib, means for oscillating the rib and housing about its pivot, an angular projection upon the end of the rib within the housing, said housing provided with a recess allowing a partial rotation of the rib and extension thereon, means adapted to enter one end of the recess and be engaged by the extension to retain the extension and blade in a vertical position during one movement ofthe oscillation,

the unobstructed portion of the recess allovving of a partial rotation of the extension and rib in the opposite movement whereby the blade may be feathered.

10. In an oscillating propeller, arib having an angular extension on one end and rigid blade depending from the opposite side, a housing pivotally mounted upon the side of the vessel receiving the angular extension and end of the rib, means for oscillating the rib and housing about its pivot, said housing provided with a transverse recess With upwardly sloping bottom Walls allowing a partial rotation of the extension and rib therein, vertical recesses provided at each end of the transverse recess, a feather control block mounted to Slide in each vertical recess to enter the transverse recess between the rib and outer end of the recess to be engaged by the extension and retain the blade in the vertical, and means for lowering one block into the path of the extension and at the same time Withdrawing the outer block out of said path.

JOHN L. STRIBLING.

lVitnesses LANGDON MOORE, CAROLINE MORGAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

